Brazilian Ports Surge! Record Cargo Volumes Shock the Industry!
Brazilian Ports See Record-Breaking Cargo Volumes in First Half of 2025
Brazilian ports have achieved a historic milestone, handling a record 653.7 million tons of cargo in the first half of 2025. This represents a 1% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Federal Government. The National Agency for Waterway Transportation (ANTAQ) reports that June also saw a record volume for the month, reaching 120.4 million tons. This marks the highest volume recorded for the first six months of the year since 2010.
The Port of Itajaí stood out nationally, experiencing a remarkable growth of 1,494.58%. Meanwhile, the Port of Santos maintained its position as the leading port in terms of cargo volume, handling 67.9 million tons.
However, container movement in Santa Catarina ports experienced a slight dip in June, falling by 6.5%. Despite this, the ports in Santa Catarina still closed the first half of the year with a significant increase of 12.5%. The total cargo handled reached 1.4 million TEUs, equivalent to 18.9% of the total in the country. Porto Itapoá ranks third in the nation for container movement.
The aquatics sector moved 653.7 million tons of cargo in the first semester of 2025, a growth of 1.02% compared to the same period last year.
Agricultural Sector Also Sees Growth
Alongside the port activity, Brazil's agricultural sector also experienced growth. The slaughter of cattle, pigs, and chickens increased in the second quarter of 2025 compared to both the second quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. Production of chicken eggs and milk acquisition also increased in both comparisons.
The number of new small businesses opened in July reached 433,000. Micro-entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises, and small businesses accounted for 96.3% of all companies registered that month.